Cuff link protector



Dec; 31, 1968 s. FELDMAN I 3,418,699

CUFF LINK PROTECTOR Filed Jan. 13, 1967 INVENTOR Y SAMUEL FELDMAN Mmm ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 3,418,699 CUFF LINK PROTECTOR Samuel Feldman, 900 Bay Drive, Miami Beach, Fla. 33141 Filed Jan. 13, 1967, Ser. No. 609,161 2 Claims. (Cl. 24-905) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A cuff link of the type in which a keeper bar is pivotally mounted on a stud extending downwardly from the back of the face plate of the cuff link, in which the cuff link in use is inserted through a cuff button hole with the keeper bar aligned with the stud, and thereafter the keeper bar is pivoted to a position perpendicular to the stud to retain the cuff link in desired position, a washer member surrounding the stud and bearing against the keeper bar to maintain same in desired perpendicular orientation with respect to the stud when the cuff link is in operative position so as to prevent inadvertent loss of the cuff link.

Background of the invention This invention relates to the art of cuff links, and more particularly to an improved construction for the conventional keeper bar cuff link to prevent inadvertent loss of the cuff link.

The widely employed conventional keeper bar cuff link comprises a face plate bearing the desired decorative indicia, jewels, or the like, with a stud extending from the rear surface of the face plate, and a keeper bar pivotally mounted on the stud. When the keeper bar is aligned with the stud, the stud and the keeper bar are readily insertible through the button holes formed in the conventional cuff. Thereafter, to maintain the cuff link in desired position on the cuff the keeper bar is pivoted to an orien tation perpendicular to the stud. Often, in the course of normal wear, the keeper bar is jostled out of this trans verse position with respect to the stud, and upon becoming aligned with the stud permits the cuff link to fall out of the cuff button holes and be lost. The prior art has recognized the aforedescribed problem, and in patents such as Landis US. Patent 1,494,751, and Habenicht US. Patent 1,498,576, a variety of attaching means have been evolved to minimize the possibility of inadvertent loss of the cuff link. However, the prior art developments require relatively complex structures, difficult to manipulate, and the resultant increase in cost, and difficulty of manipulation appears to have 'militated against their use.

Summary It is, accordingly, among the primary objects of this invention to provide an improved cuff link construction of the keeper bar type in which simple means are provided preventing inadvertent loss of the cuff link.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cuff link protector of a relatively simple inexpensive nature which does not significantly increase the cost of production of the cuff link, nor interfere with the esthetic appearance of the cuff link. and is simple to use.

These. and other objects of the invention, which will become hereafter apparent, are achieved by forming a keeper bar cuff link with a stud-like strut extending from the rear of the face plate of the cuff link with a keeper bar pivoted to the stud-like strut for movement from a position in alignment with the strut, whereby the keeper bar and strut may be extended through the cuff button hole of a cuff, and the keeper bar moved to a position transverse to the strut to maintain the cuff link in position in the cuff. To this conventional keeper bar cuff link construction is added a washer member, preferably having an external dimension less than that of the face plate, and an opening dimensioned to slide freely over the keeper bar and stud when the keeper is aligned with the stud. It is preferred that a decorative flexible connection be provided between the washer and the cuff link to prevent loss of the washer when the cuff link is not worn. This can best be accomplished by utilizing a decorative chain member secured at one end to the underside of the face plate of the cuff link, and the other end secured to the rim of the washer.

An important feature of the invention resides in the fact that the washer member is relatively inexpensive, is simple to manipulate for placing into desired position, and does not interfere with the esthetic quality of the cuff link.

Brief description of the drawing The specific details of a preferred embodiment of the invention, and their mode of functioning will be described in clear, concise and exact terms in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view looking down from the face plate of a cuff link made in accordance with the teachings of this invention, showing the retaining washer position on the stud, prior to turning of the keeper bar;

FIG.2 is a perspective view looking at the bottom of the face plate showing how the retaining washer acts to maintain the keeper bar in a retaining position; and

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view through a cuff showing how the cuff link is positioned in the cuff button hole with the elements of the cuff aiding to bias the retaining washer against the keeper bar to prevent pivoting of the keeper bar into alignment with the stud.

Description 0 the preferred embodiment Referring now more particularly to the drawings, like numerals in the various figures will be employed to designate like parts.

The cuff link 10, as best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2 is formed of a conventional keeper bar construction. The cuff link 10 is provided with the conventional face plate 11. A variety of different types of st-ud constructions may be employed, however. as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the stud 12 is formed by two spaced struts 14 and 15, which for fabrication purposes may readily be formed of a single strip of material bent into the illustrated U shaped configuration, with the base 16 of the U secured to the rear 17 of the face plate 11, as best seen in FIG. 2. Pivotally mounted between the free ends of the struts 14 and of stud 12 is a keeper bar 18 mounted for rotation on pivot pin 19 extending through the struts 14 and 15 and the keeper bar 18 so as to permit pivoting of the keeper bar 18 from the position shown in FIG. 1 to the position shown in FIG. 2.

According to the invention, retaining washer 20 is formed of a dimension such that the peripheral edge 21 of the washer 20 will not extend beyond the bounds of the face plate 11. The opening 22 of the washer is of a dimension to slide freely over the keeper bar 18 and stud 12 when the keeper bar 18 is aligned with the stud as viewed in FIG. 1. In order to prevent loss of the Washer 20 when the cuff link is removed, a flexible connection in the form of a decorative chain 25 is preferably provided. Chain 25 is of a length to permit the washer 20 to be moved freely from its position on stud 12 to a point remote therefrom sliding over the free end of the keeper bar 18. Though the chain 25 may be secured in a variety of differentways to effect a connection between the stud or face plate of the cuff link and the retaining washer 20, it is preferred that one end of the chain 25 be secured to the rim of the washer 20, and the other end secured at the edge of the rear surface 17 of the face-plate 11.

Operation In use, the aforedesclribed culf link 10 is employed in conventional fashion by orienting the keeper bar 18 into alignment with the stud 12 so that the keeper bar 18 and stud 12 may readily be threaded through the conventional cutf button hole of a sleeve S, as illustrated in FIG. 3. Thereafter, the washer 20 is threaded over the keeper bar and stud 12 with the cuff sandwiched between the rear of the face plate 11, and the retaining Washer 20. The keeper bar 18 is then pivoted out of'alignment with the stud 12 so that it lies preferably perpendicular to the stud, as illustrated in FIG. 3. The natural tendency of the cuff segments to separate serves to bias the Washer 20 against the keeper bar 18, to the position illustrated in FIG. 2, and as will be understood by those skilled in the art, the possibility of the keeper stud being inadvertently brushed into a position into alignment with the stud 12 will be substantially minimized by virtue of the relatively rigid bearing surface provided by the washer 20.

It is thus seen that a simple relatively inexpensive construction has been provided preventing inadvertent turning of the keeper bar once it has been moved to a retaining position perpendicular to the stud. The construction is not only inexpensive to fabricate, but is simple to use and does not interfere with the decorative qualities of the cuff link.

The above disclosure has been given by Way of illustration and elucidation, and not by way of limitation, and

it is desired to protect all embodiments of the herein disclosed inventive concept within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a cuff link comprising a face plate, stud, and keeper bar pivoted to said stud for movement from a position in alignment with the stud to a position out of alignment with the stud, means for retaining the keeper bar in its unaligned cuff retaining position, said means comprising: a rigid washer member having an opening dimensioned to permit free passage therethrough of the keeper bar and stud when the keeper bar and stud are aligned; and a flexible connection between said Washer member and a point on the cuff link spaced from the pivot point of the keeper bar.

2. In a cuff link, as in claim 1, in which said flexible connection comprises a chain secured to the underside of the face plate of the cuff link atone end thereof, and to said washer at the other end thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 138,608' 5/1873 Brookmann 24-97 1,384,526 7/1921 Keeton 2490.5 2,213,715 9/ 1940 Monahan 24-l02 1,598,576 8/1926 Habenicht Q 24102 FOREIGN PATENTS DONALD A. GRIFFIN, Primary Examiner. 

